Keeping down grocery costs (Bloomington, Woodbury: to buy, construction, cabinets)

[Glenfield]

We split our shopping between Kowalski's for produce and deli, and Cub for dairy and staples. We buy beef in bulk from a small town processor in my wife's hometown, and shop at Everett's on 38th and Cedar for other meats. Sometimes when we get down there, we get eggs from my SIL's chickens. Coastal Seafood is where we go for fresh seafood. In the summer, most of our produce comes from Kingfield Farmers Market instead of Kowalski's. We don't get the lowest prices on everything but we don't feel like any one store can meet all our needs in terms of quality.

[pannierpacker]

Originally Posted by Cruz Azul Guy

So I just recently discovered Aldi and it amazes me how much we're able to save on groceries compared to buying at Cub, Target, Lunds, Kowalskis. Yes they do sell a few inferior products here and there (don't go near the breakfast cereal, blech), but for the basic staples there is nothing close from a price standpoint. I'm wondering why more people don't shop there? Are people choosing to shop at Cub because they're getting sucked in by the gas discount? I really don't get it. If we shop at Aldi for a whole year I'm estimating our annual grocery savings to be a few thousand dollars.

**Sometimes my day doesn't allow me to be there between the hours of 9AM to 8PM. Take any working professional: Aldi's probably opens too late for someone to stop in on the way before work. Dropping in after work would be nice, but if you are doing something immediately after work, then it becomes unreasonable. Aldi's closes at 8PM so most evening activities don't really allow for you to go there afterwards.

**Other times I want to walk to the grocery store. I've never lived within walking distance of an Aldis. In fact, most of the time going to an Aldi means going out of the way for me. Often you'll find Lunds, Whole Foods, and other expensive grocers in the most walkable areas of the city. Some Aldis are in bad neighborhoods too making them not the best place to walk to at night.

**Basic necessities are completely ravaged or never stocked in the first place. Their brocolli? Non-existent for the last month at all the 3 Aldis I tend to circulate. Can you say supply issues?

**Aldi's frequently doesn't carry the more unique items I want. Their hygiene section is a joke. Natural Cranberry juice? Once in a blue moon perhaps. GF Cornbread mix? Not stocked regularly. Crackers? Only if they are the kind that are heavily processed. Speaking of which, lots of Aldi's products have sugar-added and aren't as healthy for you.

**Styrofoamed broccoli - who does that? I thought Aldi was supposed to be good for the environment.

[StilltheSame]

Anyone try online grocery shopping -Instacart? Amazon?

[Cruz Azul Guy]

I appreciate the Fresh Thyme suggestion. I've located one a few miles from us so we'll definitely be checking it out. Also, I wasn't suggesting that Aldi could meet 100% of my shopping needs but it seems to be great for picking up 80% or so of our regular grocery items. Some things that we have been buying there at a significant discount to the "other guys" includes:

-ground turkey
-shredded cheese (in the 5lb bag)
-milk
-eggs
-OJ
-other juices
-chicken (drum sticks, breasts, etc.)
-peanut butter
-jelly
-probably 75% of our produce needs
-coffee
-bread
-potato chips/tortilla chips
-tortillas
-rice
-beans

Those are the items I can think of off the top of my head. Our bill when we shop there is usually in the $50-75 range when similar purchases are always north of $100 at Cub.

[WoodburyWoody]

Originally Posted by StilltheSame

Anyone try online grocery shopping -Instacart? Amazon?

Only with a store with a local presence, Hy Vee (Oakdale) twice now (plus one time for pick up). Was curious how the produce would go, selecting the bin stuff instead of pre-packaged and have been very happy with the quality of the produce that the staff has picked so far. Delivery has always been within the delivery window (you choose a one-hour window for delivery). Everything there and nothing damaged. Their site for ordering the groceries could use some work to reduce clicks, but everything else has been okay.

I know Jerry's (Woodbury) also delivers in our area. Coburn's has for many years.

[ellysbelly]

Originally Posted by StilltheSame

Anyone try online grocery shopping -Instacart? Amazon?

Haven't used Instacart-- and have only used Amazon for shelf stable goods, not fresh, and paper products-- I live too far out to use Prime Now which offers fresh food, but would absolutely use it if I had the opportunity to do so.

Have used Lunds/Byerly's delivery and 'pick up' services and have found them very convenient and worth the extra $5/$10 for the time saving and convenience.

For the most part, I stock up on meat/poultry/fish/seafood, cheese, frozen items and pantry items whenever they're on sale (we have both a big pantry and an extra freezer), so I just need to pop in to the store once a week for eggs, dairy and fresh produce-- but in the height of school/sports/musical madness, I often relegate that weekly shop to Lund's delivery.

Instacart (I think, but am not certain) adds a surcharge per item and/or you can't get sale prices, if I'm not mistaken-- I know that there was a reason that I haven't yet used them, but the exact reason escapes me now. I'll have to look into it again.

[1stpontiac]

On the Aldi's topic, if you aren't familiar with the backstory of the company(ies), its worth checking out. Highlights include 2 brothers turning dad's corner store into Germany's largest grocer; those two brothers getting into a disagreement over whether to sell cigarettes and splitting the company in two (Germany still has Aldi's North and Aldi's south); one of the brother's got kidnapped and held for a large ransom once; that brother also tried to write off the ransom as a business expense on his taxes; and both brothers were so reclusive that the last picture of them together was from 1987.

[Minnesota Spring]

Originally Posted by StilltheSame

Anyone try online grocery shopping -Instacart? Amazon?

Amazon is pure evil so I never, ever buy anything from them.
I hear good things about Coborn's delivers.

[Simple Living]

I've never heard of Fresh Thyme but I'll be checking them out, thanks! As for grocery delivery, I did it a couple of times about 13 years ago. When you don't have a car, it's definitely convenient BUT... I stopped doing it.

I love grocery shopping too much. I love to cook so I love picking out my own stuff, especially meat and produce! There are two stores that get my heart skipping a beat when I walk in... grocery stores and Mills Fleet Farm.

As for Amazon, yes, they're evil. Truth be told, most corporations are these days. If I boycotted them all, I couldn't afford anything. I shop at Amazon when I need to.

[slamont61]

One other thing I noticed about Fresh Thyme in Bloomington, underground parking garage. Won't have to push that cart through slush in the winter time or experience the cold walk from car to store.


I'm there every day yet they are my competition. That should say something.